Figure 1 Rope (1948)

Rope (1948)

Hannah Milliner

Rope was released in 1948 directed by Alfred Hitchcock. The film is set in a modern American

apartment where Phillip and Brandon have murdered one of their classmates. The storyline then

follows to them having guests over including theirs victim’s father and girlfriend. Phillip however

becomes very agitated by the guilt in which as Haeffner mentions he tries to calm himself down by

playing piano ‘Phillip plays to calm himself but the dissonances keep creeping into the music, as Rupert

gets closer to the truth.’ (Haeffner, 2005: 53) Throughout the film Hitchcock relies mostly upon the

music within the set area whether it be a record playing or Phillip playing piano. When the music is

playing it often echoes with the atmosphere of the current scene as Haeffner mentions the music

becomes disorganised and less harmonious as Rupert continues to press him on his nervous

behaviour.

Rope was the first film that Hitchcock filmed in colour and used colour towards the end to help towards

the atmosphere. The moment when their “perfect murder” is starting to unravel the neon sign by the

side window starts showing in the room flashing between red, green and white light this could be a

representative of the state of mind the three characters are in at that moment. White light for Rupert

being the innocent of the three or This could be seen as Brandon deeming himself righteous to decide

the fate of the inferior, Green for Phillip who is ridden with guilt and the red for the danger Rupert as

Brandon had a small gun in his pocket or it could be a gesture of violence or a sign of death (fig.2).

Being Hitchcock’s first film in colour it also presented problems as Adair mentions getting natural

feeling light to come through was tough. ‘Rope was Hitchcock’s first film in color, and that too

presented special problems. As shooting progressed, Hitchcock viewed the footage and saw that during

moments when the sun was supposed to be setting, the color was all wrong’ (Adair, 2002:88) Because

the lighting was wrong in the footage and because of the little editing involved in making of the film

many scenes had to be reshot. But because the filming was done in such a way where it was

continuously running it meant that there would be little room for error.

Figure 2 Red light (1948)

Within the film Rope there are many pieces of art that can link to the theme of the film. As Lunde and

Noverr point out it reinforces the themes of life and death ‘In Such films as the much underrate Rope

(1948). The paintings on the walls of the main set, a large urban apartment, reinforce the themes of

life and death so central to the story.’ (Lunde and Noverr, s.d:97) Not only is there the paintings, there

are also statues that can suggest primitive morale. The scene in which Janet points out a piece of art

work (Fig.3) which Brandon mentions is by “New young American Primitive” she scoffs at the idea of

the primitive artwork which creates a diversity between modern conventions which she and most of

society uphold and the simpler, more primitive behaviour observed from Brandon, his primitive nature

condones his unnecessary killing.

Figure 3. Primitive Art. (1948)

Bibliography

Adair, G (2002) Alfred Hitchcock: filming our fears [Online] At:

http://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=9xeWbQA6GDUC&oi=fnd&pg=PA5&dq=%22rope%2

2+%22Alfred+Hitchcock%22+1948&ots=WZx3-X4Cy5&sig=4a__yhwh-

SrDqakgBuHmSczEZjA#v=onepage&q=%22rope%22&f=false (Accessed on 14/1/14)

Lunde, E and Noverr, D (s.d) Beyond the Stars: The material world in American popular film [Online]

At:

http://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=sSPILzc9rkcC&oi=fnd&pg=PA97&dq=%22rope%22+

%22Alfred+Hitchcock%22+1948&ots=Z6p9w0u0tK&sig=5yLiyDddF0sNdACrh7O15MDgQFU#v=onepa

ge&q=%22rope%22%20%22Alfred%20Hitchcock%22%201948&f=false (Accessed on 14/1/14)

Haeffner, N. (2005) Alfred Hitchcock [online] At:

http://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=aSWH4GCbkDEC&oi=fnd&pg=PR6&dq=%22rope%2

2+%22Alfred+Hitchcock%22+1948&ots=KWBdg81f7B&sig=DwSKbl2sB9dgofe9fenXIEHvuOg#v=onep

age&q=%22rope%22&f=false (accessed on 14/1/14)

Illustrations

Figure.1 Rope (1948) From: Rope. Directed by Alfred Hitchcock [Film poster] USA: Warner Bros. At:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Rope2.jpg (Accessed on 14/1/14)

Figure.2 Red light (1948) From: Rope. Directed by Alfred Hitchcock [Film poster] USA: Warner Bros.

At: http://www.jasonbovberg.com/hitchcock/hitchcock-conversations-rope-1948 (Accessed on

14/1/14)

Figure.3 Primitive Art (1948) From: Rope. Directed by Alfred Hitchcock [Film poster] USA: Warner

Bros. At: http://theartofilm.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/hitchcocks-rope-1948-apartment-evil-and.html

(Accessed on 14/1/14)